Sweet
by mrscribble
Summary: Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks have an encounter in the dismal kitchen of 12 Grimmauld Place. Fluff, chocolate, and Tonks' clumsiness abound! a stylistic challenge for myself


**A/N**: This story is just a little plot bunny which popped into my head ages ago. I haven't had much experience with writing R/T fics, and this is my first attempt at something Remus/Tonks, extremely fluffy, and tasting of my FAVOURITE sweet, chocolate

Anything you recognize is JK Rowling's. I own nothing except the storyline - and thank the ancient peoples for growing cocao beans which evolutionized sweets as we know it today )

**Sweet**

Remus Lupin loves chocolate.

It is the smell, not the taste, which draws him in; the combination of intoxicating sweetness and alluring bliss reminds him of days when happiness reigned. Chocolate reminds him of warm summery weeks, when soft breezes soothed the air; when the air was abuzz with cheerful chatter about the latest N.E.W.T test, or who was secretly snogging whom, or what was the best prank the Marauders had ever played on the Slytherins, and _wasn't_ Sirius Black so witty and good-looking?

Those times are gone now.

The Noble House of Black is deserted. A thick, clogging silence fills the musty air, and the landing on the second floor is all quiet. Dark paintings line the grubby walls where leering House Elf heads peer out in dead disapproval. Remus Lupin, a chocolate bar in hand, looks down from the top of the derelict stairs, down into the kitchen, and wonders what it would be like, down there, with _her_.

She's energetically waltzing about, gyrating madly to music only she can hear; often, she bumps into the counter or knocks over the chairs or hits the empty bottles of butterbeer sitting on the counter with her elbow, and apologises profusely to no one in particular. She lights the dim kitchen up, she is more resplendent than the dim light filtering through the bedraggled curtains; her presence illuminates the house, she brightens the world itself.

Nymphadora Tonks is full of colourful frivolity. Her long, bright orange hair swings about as she twirls on the filthy kitchen tiles, and Remus Lupin thinks that he has never seen her more beautiful. As he watches, a warm wave of happiness sweeps his heart fresh and clean, and Remus comes to a conclusion.

She has the same effect on him as chocolate does.

Suddenly, Tonks looks up, straight at Remus, grinning. "Join me?" she laughs. His heart jumps, seeking the stars, and he forces himself to remember that he cannot fall for her, he is too old, too decrepit, not worthy of her brilliance.

"I know you're up there," she says jauntily. Remus cannot stop himself from smiling. Slowly, he makes his way down the rickety stairs, pausing every once in a while, to relieve his legs. The last full moon was harsh. He is in pain every careful step he takes; when he is within five steps of her, his legs give out and he collapses on to one of the kitchen chairs.

Nymphadora Tonks winces and asks if he is alright; he replies that he has never been better in his life, and gives her a crooked smile. Tonks beams radiantly back at him in a smile which lights up Remus Lupin's world, and for a moment, Remus Lupin wonders how it would be if he would offer his courtship; but he cannot, because he will not fathom the idea of subjecting her every day to the knowledge of his pain, pain he must suffer _on his own_.

She ventures closer to him, and Remus catches her scent; she smells like sweet vanilla and bittersweet passion, infused with saccharine spice. Nymphadora Tonks even smells like chocolate.

She takes his hand, and pulls him up; Remus is not in the least surprised at her strength. She laughs, before spinning in a clumsy sort of pirouette, then twirling past Remus and snatching his chocolate bar. Remus shakes his head in mock furiousity, then gently pushes her against the grimy counter. He vainly passes his hand several times over hers, but he is much too slow and Tonks' hand jerks away before he can snatch the precious chocolate bar back.

Tonks wrinkles her nose at him, and cracks off a rather large piece of chocolate, which she promptly sticks into her mouth. Giggling, Tonks slips away from his grasp, waving the prized confection.

"You'll never get it back, Moony!" she cries as she retreats across the dirty tiles, clutching the brightly-wrapped bar.

Remus arches an eyebrow defiantly, then raises his hand and flicks his finger slightly; immediately, the chocolate bar flies out of her hand and lands gracefully in Remus' grip. Nymphadora Tonks pouts.

"Show-off," she grumbles playfully, and Remus Lupin's heart leaps a little higher. He takes an exaggerated bite from the chocolate, savouring the sweet taste on his tongue; Tonks grins at him from across the room and steps closer, changing her hair colour from vivid orange to creamy brown, the colour of chocolate.

Suddenly, Tonks trips over her own feet, lurching towards Remus, and all Remus can think of is ouch my back, I'm going to have a bruise for quite a while, isn't this a rather precarious situation and _oh Merlin_ Nymphadora Tonks is on top of me, and she's so soft and warm and petite...

Tonks blinks at Remus, and flushes such a deep crimson colour Remus can't help but laugh. She sticks out her tongue at him childishly, but then both of them remember how awkward a situation they are in, and Tonks' tongue returns back to her mouth and Remus can't say a single word. Then, in a swipe of her hand, she takes the chocolate back again, which takes away the tension between them. Tonks laughs, taking a bite of chocolate from the bar, and Remus can't help but admire the dazzling personality that is becoming something of perfection to him.

Then, Remus catches her sweet scent again; smooth, enticing spices, with undertones of delicate vanilla and crystalline sugar. It tempts him, teases him, and he cannot stop wishing he isn't what he _is_, a dangerous, hostile, destructive _beast_.

Abruptly, a soft, gentle voice chastises him for thinking these thoughts, and the full moon seems very far away, and some inner force of his is pressing his mouth to hers in an almost chaste kiss.

Remus Lupin tastes that chocolate he loves on her lips, the same sugary confectionery, and before he knows it, she's responding almost _shyly_ - but Remus forces himself to pull away from Tonks as quickly as he had kissed her.

They stare at each other for a second in silence, then Tonks clears her throat and jumps up, knocking her arm on the counter during the process. Remus gets up, slightly dazed, and starts to hurry out of the room, feeling embarrassed.

As Remus nears the door and wonders if he should either hide inside his room for a week or get drunk enough to forget the whole ordeal, a sudden force coming from the direction of the kitchen table pins him to the doorway and before Remus knows it, he is tasting the sweet chocolate yet again, and he can't help but wonder why he had all those negative thoughts about falling in love with a certain Nymphadora Tonks in the first place.


End file.
